Darul Iftaa Mahmudiyyah Islamic Q&A and Islamic Finance with Mufti Ebrahim Desai
Question:
I’ve been suffering from depression, anxiety and waham for the last 20 years and I’m currently on a medication. The tablets doctor have prescribed me is no good and dont help me. Please tell me what to do as anxiety and waham is killing me everyday and I keep reading dua but my concentration and mind is on waham all the time.
Answer:
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
Brother in Islam,
May Allāh Ta’āla expel such thoughts from your mind and alleviate you from the predicament you find yourself in.
Firstly, you should continue with the medicine prescribed by your physician. Together with that, visit a certified counsellor who can assist you in overcoming the predicament you find yourself in.
Try and make a routine of reciting the Qur’ān as much as possible. Verily Allah Ta’āla says:
وَنُنَزِّلُ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ مَا هُوَ شِفَاءٌ وَرَحْمَةٌ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ ۙ (سورة الاسراء: 82)
Translation: And We send down of the Qur’an that which is healing and mercy for the believers (Surah Al-Isra: 82)
Hereunder are some supplications you may recite to combat the whisperings of Shaytaan:
رَبِّ أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ هَمَزَاتِ الشَّيَاطِينِ وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ رَبِّ أَنْ يَحْضُرُونِ (المؤمنون: 97، 98)
Translation: “My Lord, I seek Your protection from the evil whisperings of the Shaytaan, and I seek refuge with You, my Lord, from their presence.”
لاحول ولا قوة إلا بالله
Translation: “There is no power and no might except with Allāh.”
أعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ نَفْسِي وَمِنْ شَرِّ الشَّيْطَانِ وَشِرْكِهِ
Translation: “I seek refuge in you from the evil of my soul and the evil of Shaytan and his companions.”[i]
Try your utmost to recite the Du’as mentioned above whenever you experience such thoughts. Also, try and read Ayat-ul-Kursi abundantly. A critical point that must not be forgotten is Du’ā. Du’ā is a weapon of a believer. Turn to Allāh Ta’āla in humility and make sincere Du’ā that Allāh Ta’āla alleviates you from your predicament.
We also advise you to continue doing all the good you have been doing. By continuing in doing good actions, you will indeed overcome the plots of Shaytaan and defeat him.
You should keep yourself occupied because an idle mind is a devil’s workshop. Keep yourself occupied by reading authentic Islamic literature. You may read the following book: Combating the Whisperings of Shaitan by Shaykh Yunus Patel (Rahimahullaah) for effective methods on dealing with waswasah.
Another way of keeping yourself occupied is by listening to Islamic lectures. You may also listen to spiritual pieces of advice of my honourable teacher, Mufti Ebrahim Desai (Hafidhahullah). The discourses on Qaseeda Burda will be very useful for spiritual upliftment http://daruliftaa.net/qaseeda-burda/.
Along with this, we advise you to listen to the following discourse delivered by my honourable teacher, Mufti Ebrahim Desai (Hafidhahullah), in regards to dealing with Waswasah (whispers):
https://daruliftaa.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Before-Zuhr-23.mp3
https://daruliftaa.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/After-Zuhr-23.mp3
Lastly, it would be extremely beneficial if you could link yourself with a reputable spiritual guide and follow his guidelines.
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Ikraam Elias Gangat
Student Darul Iftaa
Zambia
Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.
الترمذي ت بشار – محمد بن عيسى بن سَوْرة بن موسى بن الضحاك، الترمذي، أبو عيسى (المتوفى: 279هـ) – دار الغرب الإسلامي – بيروت (334/5 [i]
– حَدَّثَنَا مَحْمُودُ بْنُ غَيْلاَنَ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو دَاوُدَ، قَالَ: أَخْبَرَنَا شُعْبَةُ، عَنْ يَعْلَى بْنِ عَطَاءٍ، قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ عَمْرَو بْنَ عَاصِمٍ الثَّقَفِيَّ، يُحَدِّثُ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ: قَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ: يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ مُرْنِي بِشَيْءٍ أَقُولُهُ إِذَا أَصْبَحْتُ وَإِذَا أَمْسَيْتُ؟ قَالَ: قُلْ: اللَّهُمَّ عَالِمَ الغَيْبِ وَالشَّهَادَةِ، فَاطِرَ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ، رَبَّ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ وَمَلِيكَهُ، أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ، أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ نَفْسِي وَمِنْ شَرِّ الشَّيْطَانِ وَشِرْكِهِ، قَالَ: قُلْهُ إِذَا أَصْبَحْتَ، وَإِذَا أَمْسَيْتَ، وَإِذَا أَخَذْتَ مَضْجَعَكَ.
هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيح